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Ask someone to name their top three vegetables and chances are the potato will make the cut. But why? On its own, a spud tastes of surprisingly little. And while it's now one of the world's most important food crops, outside its native South America the potato was once eyed with suspicion, and in parts of France it was even banned. Prompted by The Science Show's Belinda Smith, a self-confessed potato superfan, we ask a food scientist, a historian and a farmer how the potato became a perennial favourite — mashed, roasted or fried — and whether it deserves its place on our plates. Guests:  Belinda Smith, co-host of The Science ShowRussell Keast, professor of food and sensory science at Deakin UniversityBarbara Santich, food historian and emerita professor at Adelaide UniversityGarry Kadwell, farmer, Kadwell & Co Gourmet PotatoesGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

Why does so much supermarket veg taste of not much at all? Over the past century, vegetables have been bred for yield, shelf life and good looks, and flavour has often been the casualty. The range of plants we eat has narrowed too. Of the thousands of plant species humans have cultivated for food, about 200 now dominate. That loss of biodiversity is about more than taste; it also affects our food security. So can we breed flavour — and resilience — back into our vegetables? Guests: Dan Barber, Michelin-starred chef and owner of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York, author of The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of FoodAli Francis, food journalist and author of The Curious Lives of VegetablesGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

Food is a great unifier. It brings us together as a multicultural community (who doesn't love a good feed?) and it can foster a deeper connection to our own heritage. Right now, the many and varied cuisines of Africa are on the rise in Australia. Through recipes and ingredients passed hand to hand and heart to heart, more African flavours and dishes are finding their way out of the home and onto restaurant menus, festival stalls and your social media feed, gaining new fans every day. Guests:  Fatma Mohamed, director of the Africultures FestivalNathaniel Ola-Roberts, Krio Descendants Union food stallholderMary Akindele, owner and operator of Mary'sSantilla Chingaipe, writer, historian and presenter of the documentary series Tastes of AfricaKauthar Abdulalim, filmmaker, creator and producer of Tastes of AfricaGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

You'd be hard-pressed to find an Australian-born chef as successful as Brett Graham. His London restaurant, The Ledbury, is ranked among the best in the UK, and he is the first Australian chef and restaurant owner to be awarded three Michelin stars. Since his childhood in rural New South Wales, Brett Graham has seized every opportunity to learn, grow and impress as a chef. Now, he's gone back to his roots and added "farmer" to his list of achievements. So why, for all this praise and success, does Brett Graham say that business has never been tougher? Guest: Brett Graham, Australian-born chef and owner of The Ledbury and The Harwood Arms in London, and founder of Capability GrahamGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

Since her breakthrough as food editor for Marie Claire, and then going it alone with a magazine and numerous cookbooks under her own name, Donna Hay is now synonymous with Australian home cooking. In this episode, Donna Hay, who has around 30 bestsellers under her belt, shares her recipe-writing dos and don'ts, explains why she was once better known internationally than in Australia and reveals her number-one pick for Radio National’s Top 100 Australian Books countdown. Guest:  Donna Hay, food stylist, cookbook author and television presenter. In 2026, she released the series Coastal Celebrations and the books Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt and Kids BakingGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

What makes a great Australian book? If your criteria include books that inspire, inform and instruct, then surely some of your flour-dusted, oil-stained cookbooks would be among the greatest. In this episode, we meet a woman who, during her 50 years in the Australian Women's Weekly Test Kitchen, witnessed several revolutions in Australian cookbook publishing, including the publication of The Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book. And we ask a food writer with a huge online following, 'Do cookbooks still matter?' You can vote in Radio National's Top 100 Australian Books countdown. Guests:  Pamela Clark, former food editor at the Australian Women's Weekly, co-author of The Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake BookJulia Busuttil Nishimura, founder of the food website Ostro and author of several cookbooks, including Simple PleasuresGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

Yotam Ottolenghi, the man who inspired a generation of cooks to seek out obscure ingredients and commit to hours of prep time, has a new mantra: embrace the shortcut. While he once believed the flavourful fruits of his kitchen labour were their own reward, Yotam says his primary concern these days is: 'Will someone actually cook this?' He preached this gospel in his 2018 cookbook Simple. But, he says, food and cooking have changed a lot since then. In Simple Too, he refines that approach. Guests:  Yotam Ottolenghi, chef, restaurateur and co-author of Ottolenghi Simple TooGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

Trillions of micro-organisms are living inside you right now. For the most part, these microbes are working for us, breaking down food and producing chemicals that keep us healthy. They also train our immune system, and scientists now wonder if they influence our mood and behaviour. So which foods keep us and our microbes healthy? We have had a 'gut feeling' about those foods for millennia, but today's mod cons may be standing between you and a healthy gut. Guests:  Paul Froomes, gastroenterologist and author of Your Best GutTeresa Cutter, chef, nutritionist, trainer and the author of several health-focused cookbooksGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

Every year, Australia wastes around 7.6 million tonnes of food at a cost of more than $36 billion, adding thousands of dollars to the average household budget. In this episode, we explore creative solutions to this urgent problem. Food loss and food waste occur at every stage of the supply chain, from paddock to plate. So, where does the greatest loss occur, and how can we all help prevent it? Guests:  Simon Lockrey, Professor at RMIT University's School of Design and REDUCE Program Leader at End Food Waste AustraliaFrankie Cox, chef and owner of the salad bars CropJustine Schofield, host of Everyday Gourmet and author of several cookbooks, including the food-waste conscious Cook AheadGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

Guest presenter Matt Preston and three-Michelin-starred chef Kyle Connaughton of SingleThread consider how weather conditions, flowers in the room, colours on the plate, and even the plate itself can enhance the dining experience. Some of these phenomena are well documented by science, as Barry C. Smith, founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses at the University of London, explains. Guests:  Kyle Connaughton, chef and co-owner of SingleThread, awarded three Michelin stars and named joint number-one restaurant in the world by La ListeBarry C. Smith, founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses at the University of LondonKyle and his partner, SingleThread's head farmer Katina Connaughton, are in residence at Sydney's Bathers' Pavilion until 23 August. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

As ABC Radio National prepares to crown Australia's most amazing wildflower for National Science Week, guest host Matt Preston is on the hunt for Australia's most DELICIOUS wildflower. From flavouring cordials with sweet nectar to foraging for exotic blooms to turn into fritters, flowers are an untapped culinary resource. But as our guests explain, when it comes to sourcing native flowers, it's important to tread lightly. Guests:  Mindy Woods, Bundjalung chef and native food expertClarence Slockee, horticulturist, Gardening Australia presenter and Bundjalung manTim Low, biologist and author of Wild Food Plants of AustraliaDiego Bonetto, environmental educator and foraging guideGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

Guest presenter Matt Preston meets Jo Barrett, a world-renowned Australian chef and leading figure in sustainable food innovation. From humble beginnings in French-style bistros, Jo has become influential in the fields of low-waste cooking, local sourcing, and wild game hunting, all while keeping her menus flavourful and accessible. Guests:  Jo Barrett, leader in sustainable food innovation, executive chef at the Surf Hotel, co-founder of Discovered WildfoodsGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

While pepper is now ever-present on dining tables around the world, there was a time when this unassuming dried fruit was one of the most valuable commodities on Earth. Its trade changed the course of history and helped reshape the world as we know it. In this episode, we explore the ancient and modern history of pepper, examining its origins, trade, and, of course, its deliciousness. Guests:  Sebastian Prange, historian at the University of British Columbia and author of Monsoon Islam: Trade and Faith on the Medieval Malabar CoastAnna Sulan Masing, writer, author and academicRoyce Akers and Josh Gardiner, co-founders of PepGet in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

What is appetite? Many happily succumb to it, while others struggle against it through willpower or even pharmaceuticals. But what are the biological, cultural and psychological mechanisms that make us want to eat? These questions are increasingly complicated in this era of unprecedented abundance and ubiquitous food. Guest:  Giles Yeo, Professor at The University of Cambridge and author of Gene Eating: The Story of Human Appetite and Why Calories Don't Count: How We Got the Science of Weight Loss WrongThis episode was originally broadcast on April 26, 2025. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

If you were to list the world's best bakers working today, Richard Hart's name would have to be near the top. After honing his craft at renowned bakeries in California, he teamed up with the world-famous Noma to open Hart Bageri in Copenhagen. His skills with sourdough are so well-known that he was even namechecked on The Bear. Richard recently published his first book. It's called Richard Hart Bread. Guest: Richard Hart, baker and chef, co-founder of Hart Bageri in Copenhagen and Green Rhino in Mexico City, author of Richard Hart Bread: Intuitive Sourdough BakingThis episode was originally broadcast on April 5, 2025. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.